Palermo is the largest district of the city of the Buenos Aires and stands out by its elegant houses and its tree lined streets.

The Palermo woods are in this zone and are the green lung of the city. It’s a vast zone with parks, a golf course, a polo ground, the planetarium Galileo Galilei and the Japanese Garden, administered by the Japanese community. Moreover, you can take strolls in the Rosedal and around the lake. Along the leafy avenues there are elegant residences, embassies and apartments.

In Palermo are the Botanical Garden and the zoo of the city, which, with the Palermo woods reflect the urban ideas of the political class at the end of the XIXth century; liberal and modernizing. In this district, there are also the Islamic Cultural Centre and the hippodrome which is legendary in the songs of tango.

Palermo is however a very vast district (with almost 16m², it is the biggest district of Buenos Aires), with differentiated areas:

•Palermo Chico , where the first name of the district is taken from the Sicilian immigrants, is a zone of palaces and residences, and where a large part of the high class of the Argentine society lives.

•Palermo Viejo or Palermo Soho on the other hand, was a district of rented accommodation, built at the beginning of the XXth century with constructions called “casa chorizo” (the houses looked out onto an open gallery) and low houses with one or two floors. In 1980, the fever of the restoration spread in this zone: many houses were architecturally well built and today they are inhabited by professionals and artists. In Palermo Viejo are coffees shops and artists' galleries, theatres and a large number of restaurants giving it a lively atmosphere. In the gastronomic centre of Palermo Viejo, the writer Jorge Luis Borges was inspired and, he mentions this area in one of his most popular poems: "Fundación mítica of Buenos Aires".

• In another sector of the district, abandoned by town planning, TV producers settled down, and created new restaurants and cafés which are always busy and with music blaring out. This zone received the name of Palermo Hollywood, because it is frequented by the stars and makers of television and cinema.

•Las Cañitas is a sector which was always described as quiet, by the fact that it is in wedged between the corner of a main road (Luís María Campos) and the Palermo Polo Club. But it changed in the mid 90s, when many restaurants, bars and discotheques began to start up there. By day, the zone is very quiet with little traffic. By night, the district turns lively thanks to these recent constructions.

Things to see, do or both...

IN PALERMO!

Museum Nacional del Arte Decorativo: Open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 14pm to 19pm (and Sunday between March and December). (Address: Avenida del Libertador, 1902). It is an attractive museum decorated with Flemish tapestries. It is inspired by the French Renaissance (there are many works of French painters) but also by other international artists' works.www.mnad.org

Malba: The Latin American Art Museum of Buenos Aires - Open from Thursday to Monday, from 12am to 8pm. Wednesday until 9pm. The price is 18AR$ but on Wednesday it is 6 AR$. (Address: Avenida Figueroa Alcorta, 3415). Financed by the multimillionaire Eduardo Constantini, this museum of contemporary art is new in Buenos Aires. It exhibits modern art with a lot of colour. www.malba.org.ar

Museum Evita: Open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 11am to 7pm. (Address: Calle Lafinur, 2988). It is the museum dedicated to Eva Perón, actress and wife of president Perón.www.museoevita.org

Museum de Arte Popular José Hernández: Open from Wednesday to Friday, from 13pm to 19pm. (Address: Avenida del Libertador 2373). It is a small museum celebrating the art heritage of Argentina.www.museohernandez.buenosaires.gob.ar

Botanical Garden: (Address: Plaza Italia). Designed by the French Charles Thays, this garden contains more than 8 000 plants and is great to go strolling in!

The zoo: Open from Tuesday to Sunday. (Address: Avenida Sarmiento y Avenida Las Heras). The zoo includes many animals of all kinds from around the world and Argentina animals such as pumas and lamas.www.zoobuenosaires.com.ar

Parque 3 de Febrero: (Address: behind the zoo). It is the biggest park of Buenos Aires. It contains numerous statues and it has a beautiful lake; it is the lung of the city.

Hipódromo Argentino y el campo Argentino de Polo: These two places are well appreciated by the Argentines; they reflect the Belle Époque of the country.

Planetarium: Open from Tuesday to Friday, from 10am to 4:30pm and at 4:30pm, there is a show.(Address: Avenida Sarmiento y Figuera Alcorta). There are many shows and exhibitions on astronomy, which are also great for children (shows are only in Spanish).www.planetario.gov.ar

Japanese Garden: Open every day from 10am to 6pm. (Address: Avenida Casares y Adolfo Berro). It is a garden born from the agreement between the Argentines and Japanese. It has a very attractive lake surmounted by small footbridges and the garden has a very calming atmosphere.http://www.jardinjapones.org.ar/